Business Traveler, February 2015

Visit businesstravelerusa com Upfront n Omni Hotels Resorts has announced that it has acquired the former Wyndham Riverfront The hotel which just completed an 8 million renovation features 202 guestrooms and nearly 4000 square feet of meeting and event space in addition to the rebranded restaurant Fulton St Bistro Bar Omni Hotels Resorts has a long history in New Orleans dating back almost 30 years said Mike Deitemeyer president of Omni Hotels Resorts We are pleased to have a third hotel in this amazing city To learn more visit omnihotels com February 2015 n 9 On Dec 2 2014 Boeing successfully conducted its first test flight using green diesel sustainable biofuel that is currently used in ground transportation An ecoDemonstrator 787 test airplane was flown with a blend of 15 percent green diesel and 85 percent petroleum jet fuel in the left engine Made from vegetable oils waste cooking oil and waste animal fats green diesel is chemically distinct and a different fuel product than biodiesel With production capacity of 800 million gallons in the US Europe and Asia green diesel could rapidly supply as much as 1 percent of global jet fuel demand The flight test was coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration Rolls Royce and Pratt Whitney and EPIC Aviation blended the fuel For details visit boeing com Omni Buys Wyndham Riverfront New Orleans Boeing Tests Green Diesel InterContinental Hotels Group has agreed to acquire Kimpton Hotels Restaurants for 430 million in cash creating the worlds largest boutique hotel business According to a statement from IHG the transaction will be earnings enhancing in its first full year and achieve returns above IHGs cost of capital by year three Kimpton is the worlds largest independent boutique hotel operator with 62 hotels under management in the US and another 16 hotels in the pipeline It operates 71 hotel based destination restaurants and bars IHG goes on to say that Kimpton properties are highly complementary with IHGs Hotel Indigo and EVEN Hotels brands For more information visit ihg com IHG Acquires Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants Hilton Reveals Mobile Room Key Rollout Plans Hilton has announced plans to roll out its mobile enabled room key technology which will allow HHonors members to simply and securely gain access to their rooms using their mobile devices The technology is rolling out in three phases across all US properties of four Hilton brands Pilot testing at 10 US properties in early 2015 Mobile room key will be enabled at all US properties of Conrad Hotels Resorts beginning early 2015 Rollout will continue across the US properties of Hilton Hotels Resorts Waldorf Astoria Hotels Resorts and Canopy by Hilton properties beginning in summer 2015 Never before has a hotel guest been able to check in select their room from a digital floor plan request items to be ready upon arrival and then access their room via their smartphone and find it exactly the way they requested it said Geraldine Calpin global head of digital at Hilton Worldwide Tied into this technology guests will be able to access fitness centers executive floors elevators and parking facilities For more information visit hilton com Do you maintain a bucket list For more survey ratings visit businesstravelerusa com polls POLL Yes 44 No 56